Corn-harvester



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. LEDFORD.

I COR-N HARVESTER.

Patented Apr; 4, 1893.

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Hdif asses (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.' J. H. LBDFORD.

. CORN HARVE'STER. I No. 494,640. Patented-Apr. 4, 1893.

HQ H asses;

Tg-z NORRIS. PETERS 00.. moruumo WASNINGTON, n. c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. H. LEDPORD. CORN HARVESTER.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 4, 1893.

Wi'fgesses 7 )NITED STATES PATENT C rrion.

JAMES H. LEDFORD, OF LA FAYETTE, KENTUCKY.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,640, dated April 4,1893.

Application filed February 8, 1892. Serial No. 420, 744. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. LEDFORD, a-

deliver the same.

side bars and standards.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will appearin thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:Figure 1 is a plan of a harvester constructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the platform. Fig. 4 is a section on theline 00-00 of Fig. 1. y-y of Fig. 1. in plan of one of thepacker-shafts, and its packers. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

1 designates a pair of longitudinal side beams, which are provided neartheir rear ends with bearings 2, in which is journaleda transverse axle3, having its extremities bent to form cranks 4, carrying ground-wheels5. The beams 1 support a table or platform 6, somewhat oval in plan, andat the front end of which there is located an ordinary harvesting orcutting mechanism 7.

At one side of the mechanism just described, a rectangular frame 8 islocated, from the opposite longitudinal sides of which rise verticalstandards 9. Each vertical standard is provided with a bearing 10, for atransverse axle 11, upon the center of which latter a ground-Wheel 12 ismounted, the axle moving therewith. The standards 9 are mounted in ways,13, formed in the side bars of the frame 8, and may be raised andlowered and secured at any desired elevation, through the medium of adjnsting-bolts 14, passing through the said Above and below the bearings10 the standards 9 are provided with a series of perforations, and toany one Fig. 5 is a section on the line Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail ofthe same through the medium of bolts 15, are connected the overlappingends of opposite pairs of inclined braces 16, hinged as at 17 to theopposite end bars of the frame 8. From this description it will beobvious that the frame, as a whole, may be lowered or raised from theground. The frame is provided with any ordinary draft-appliance, as 18,and at its rear end is furnished with a seat 19 for the accommodation ofthe driver.

In bearings 20, formed upon the under sides of the main frame work, nearthe front end of the platform, a shaft 21 is journaled for rotation, theouter end of the shaft extending beyond the platform into the frame 8,at which point it carries a gear 22, rigidly mounted thereon. Oppositethe beams l the shaft 21 carries sprockets 23, and within the frame 8and adjacent to the side bar thereof, a small pinion 24. In bearings 25,projecting inward from the inner side bar of the frame '8, is alongitudinally-disposed shaft 26, terminating at its forward end in acrank 27. This crank 27 is connected with the inner end of thecutter-bar 29, by means of a link or pitman 28. The rear end of theshaft 26 carries a small pinion 30, which gives motion to thecrank-shaft and is in turn rotated by the small pinion 24, by which itis engaged. The shaft 21, which rotates the pinion 24, is driven throughthe medium of its gear 22,

which in turn is driven by a master-gear 31,

fixedly mounted upon the axle 11 for rotation therewith. At one side ofthe drivers seat a segmental rack-bar 32 is located, and at one side ofthe same there is fulcrumed as at 33 a hand-lever 34, best shown in Fig.4. This hand-lever is connected to the extended portion of one of thecranks 4 of the axle 3,

by means of a pitman or connecting-rod 35.

See Fig. 1.

At the opposite front corners of the platform, are journaled verticalrotatable reelshafts 36, from which radiate series of reelarms 37. SeeFigs. 1 and 2. The lower ends of these reel standards extend below theplatform and are there provided with sprocket wheels 38, which areconnected by twisted sprocket-chains or cross-belts 39, with the smallsprockets 23 of the shaft 21, whereby the said shafts are driven inopposite directions and the reel arms thus rotated to gather the corn asthe same is harvested. At the opposite sides of the platform are pairsof upwardly and inwardly inclined posts rising therefrom and spaced ashort distance apart. The rear post of each pair is designated as 40,and is journaled in the platform. The front post of each pair,designated as 41, is fixed or immovable. From the opposite front posts41 extend a series of inwardly-disposed or L-shaped wire-rods or arms42, which terminate short of each other, near the middle of theplatform, leaving a contracted space 43, at the opposite sides of whichthe rods 42 are inwardly-bent as at 44, so to offer no obstruction tothe entrance of the corn. The rear posts 40 are provided withrearwardlydisposed curved rods 45, the rear extremities of which meetand slightly overlap at the rear central portion of the table. One ofthe posts 40 is also provided with a forwardlyextending curved dischargerod 46, which is bent around the inner side of the adjacent post 41, andlies between two adjacent L- shaped rods 42, of the said post 41. Byreason of the posts 40 and 41 being upwardly and inwardly inclined, theframe work composed of wire rods approximates the shape of a truncatedcone, and constitutes a cradle in which the shock of corn is formed.Pivoted to the under side of the platform as at 46, is atransversely-disposed lever or bar 47, the extremities of which projectbeyond the table or platform, and said lever may be oscillated by meansof a hand-lever 48, which is fulcrumed near its lower end upon astud 49,and at its upper end is within easy reach of a person occupying the seat19. The lower end of the lever 48 is connected by a link 50 with thelonger extremity of the fulcrumed or pivoted bar 47. Below the platformor table 6, the posts 40 are provided with laterallydisposed rock-arms51. The rock-arm of the outer post is connected by a link 52, with theshorter end of the pivoted bar 47, and the rock-arm of the inner post 40is connected to the end of the pivoted bar 47, by a wire or otherflexible connection 53, best shown in Fig. 5. This latter connection,however, between the rock-arm 51 and bar 47, passes up and around aloosepulley 54. Thus it will be seen that by manipulating the lever 48 thebar 47 may be oscillated, and the rear posts 40 turned outwardly or awayfrom each other, thus opening the rear end of the cradle. The parts maybe returned to their positions through the medium of the same lever.

In rear of the cutting mechanism and the standards 36 of the reels,there is journaled a pair of vertically-disposed packing-shafts 55, bestshown in Fig. 7. These packingshafts are provided withoppositely-disposed cranked-portions 56, and in each cranked portionthere is loosely fulcrumed or connected a curved packing-arm 57, therear ends of the packing arms projecting beyond the bars 42 and betweenthe same, and adapted to force the stalks through the opening or space43 of the cradle. The outer ends of the packing-arms 57 terminate ineyes 58, and each is connected by a link 50 with fulcrum-posts 60. Thelower ends of the packer-shafts 55, extending below the platform, arethere provided with sprockets 61, which occur opposite or in front ofthe sprockets 23, heretofore mentioned as being mounted upon the shaft21. The sprockets 23 are connected to the sprockets 61, through themedium of crossed sprocket-chains 62, whereby motion is communicatedfrom the shaft 21 to the vertical shafts and thus the packers areoperated in opposite directions, so as to feed the stalks as beforedescribed.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the manner ofgearing the shafts together, or communicating motion from one shaft tothe other, and to such as herein shown I do not limit my invention, buthold that I may vary the detailsthereof in any manner within the scopeof my claims.

The operation will be obvious from the previous description, which hasbeen given in connection therewith; but in order that the same may bethoroughly understood, it may be briefly stated as follows:-The machineis dragged along, the height of the same being first regulated asdesired, and the corn-stalks are severed at a proper point by thereciprocating knives 29, located in the cutting mechanism 7. As thestalks are severed, the fall against the inner branches of the L-shapedwires 42, and are disposed by them toward the narrow passage-way 43,through which they are aided by the revolving packers 57. The stalks aregathered and presented in a compact mass to the knives of the cutters,through the medium of the usual reels located at the opposite frontcorners of the framework. This operation is continued until the cradlebecomes full, when the machine is stopped, and the shock formed withinthe cradle is tied, in this instance by hand, but if desired knottingmechanism of any ordinary character may be employed. The operator nowgrasps the lever 48, oscillating the same so as to open the rear end ofthe cradle, and as the same opens the shock thus formed is forced by thedischarge-arm 46 rearwardly over the edge of the table. The dischargingof the shock is further facilitated by the lowering of the rear end ofthe platform or table 6, through the medium of the hand-lever 34, whichis operated at a proper moment so as to incline the table or platform tothe rear. The truncated cone-shape given the cradle. as a whole, servesto closely confine the upper portions of the corn-stalks while theirlower portions are let somewhat loose, so that after the shock is tiedand discharged, it will be obvious that the same will flare toward itsbase or lower end, and will the more readily stand in the field.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. .In a harvester, thecombination with a platform, and a wire cradle surrounding the same, thefront of the. cradle being provided with a reduced converged opening ofa pair of opposite oppositely-cranked packer-shafts, located at oppositesides of the opening packer-arms loosely connected between their endswith the cranked portions of the shafts, said packer-arms taking betweenthe wires of the cradle, and serving to feed the stalks to the openingfulcrum-posts located opposite the packer-shafts and connecting-rodsbetween the fulcrum-posts and ends of the packer arms, substantially asspecified.

2. In a harvester, the combination with the platform, of a cradle,formed by a series of wire rods, posts for supporting the rods, saidrods having their forward ends inwardly-bent as at 42 and terminating atopposite sides of the center of the cradle, forming an entrance.

thereto, cutting mechanism located in front of the table, means foropening and closing the rear end of the cradle, packers located atopposite sides of the entrance of the cradle, means for operating thesame, and rotatable reels located in rear of the cutting mechanism andin front of the packers, substantially as specified.

3. In a harvester, the combination with the platform or table, of theopposite upwardly and inwardly inclined posts 40, the series of curvedrods 45 extending rearwardly therefrom,the discharge rod 46 extendingforward from one of the posts and means for oscillating the posts inopposite directions, substantially as specified.

4. In a harvester, the combination with the platform or table, of theopposite front, upwardly and inwardly inclined posts 41, and theopposite rear similarly inclined rotatable posts 40, the rearwardlycurved wires 45 overlapping at their rear ends and extending from theposts 40, means for oscillating the posts 40, the discharge rod 46extending forwardly from one of the posts 40, and the series of wirerods 42 L-shaped and extending forwardly from the posts 41 and havingtheir adjacent ends abruply bent as at 44, substantially as specified.

5. In a harvester, the combination with the platform, the frame-work forsupporting the same, the opposite pairs of upwardly and inwardlyinclined posts 41 and 40, the latter being pivoted, the rods 45 curvedand extending rearwardly from the posts 40,and the L-shaped rods 42extending forwardly from the posts 41, of the rock-arms 51 located atthe lower ends of the posts 40, the rod 47 pivoted as at 46 to the underside of the platform, the link 52 connee-ting the rock-arm of one postwith the bar 47, the pulley 54, the wire passing over the same andhaving its ends connected to the re-

